Whether it’s browsing the Normandy
fish market, mixing with the high-rollers at Deauville and Trouville, or strolling
the D-Day beaches north of Bayeux, this is one part of France that will stay
with you long after you leave for home.

Twin
towns on the beach, divided only by the River Touques, Deauville and Trouville
compete for the title of Most Extravagant Norman Town.

Trouville
retains some semblance of normal life behind the scenesand and is the oldest
seaside resort in France. Trouville-sur-Mer borders Deauville. This village
of fishermen is a popular tourist attraction in Normandy.

With its high-price hotels, designer boutiques,
and one of the smartest gilt-edge casinos in Europe, Deauville is often jokingly
called Paris's 21st arrondissement. Although Deauville is trying to be for
the Channel what Cannes is to the Mediterranean, its American Film Festival
in the first week of September couldn't be more different as it is open to
all, and still attracts Hollywood stars. The Promenade des Planches by the
beach is another place to spot glamorous people walking their tiny dogs before
heading off to swim in one of the private huts.

The
colorful port town of Honfleur, full of half-timber houses and cobbled streets,
was once an important departure point for maritime expeditions. It’s
located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine, across from le Havre
and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie. Honfleur is especially
known for its old, beautiful picturesque port, characterized by its houses
with slate-covered frontages, painted many times by artists.